Associate Professor Barry Newell

Contacts

Honorary Associate Professor

I am a dynamicist with a focus on the nature of sustainable human-environment systems. For the last 30 years I have worked on practical ways to support integrative research and decision making in complex situations. This work has led to the development, in collaboration with Dr. Katrina Proust, of Collaborative Conceptual Modelling (CCM). CCM is a systems thinking approach that revolves, in particular, around the use of system dynamics concepts and tools. Together we have run some 80 CCM workshops with academic, industrial, governance, and community groups. Areas of application have included human ecology, natural resource management, systems engineering, sustainability of human-environment systems, the climate-energy-water nexus, and the design of healthy cities. Many of these workshops have focused on urban health, and have drawn participants from a range of countries across South-East Asia and Africa. I am co-author, with Dr. Robert Dyball, of the textbook Understanding Humann Ecology: A systems approach to sustainability (Earthscan/Routledge Second Edition 2023).

Research interests

  1. The metaphorical basis of human understanding and communication
  2. The decomposability of complex adaptive systems
  3. Sustainable human-environment systems
  4. Transdisciplinary research and governance in complex systems
  • Lee Y., Tan D., Siri J., Newell B., Gong Y., Proust K., Marsden T. 2020, 'The role of public health dietary messages and guidelines in tackling overweight and obesity issues', Malaysian Journal of Nutrition, vol. 26, no. 1, pp. 31-50.
  • Brown, H., Proust, K., Newell, B. et al. 2018, 'Cool Communities—Urban Density, Trees, and Health', International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, vol. 15, no. 7, pp. 1531-1547.
  • Newell, B. and Proust, K. 2018, 'Escaping the complexity dilemma', in Ariane Konig and Jerome Ravetz (ed.), Sustainability Science: Key issues, Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, London, pp. 96-112pp.
  • Newell, B & Siri, J 2016, 'A role for low-order system dynamics models in urban health policy making', Environment International, vol. 95, pp. 93-97.
  • Siri J., Newell B., Proust K., Capon A., 2016, 'Urbanization, Extreme Events, and Health: The Case for Systems Approaches in Mitigation, Management, and Response', Asia Pacific Journal of Public Health, 28 (2S), 15S–27S.
    DOI: 10.1177/10105395/5595694
  • Wasson, R & Newell, B 2015, 'Links between floods and other water issues in the himalayan and tibetan plateau region', Pacific Affairs, vol. 88, no. 3, pp. 653-675.
  • Newell, B & Doll, C 2015, 'Systems thinking and the cobra effect', Our World, United Nations University.
  • Hill, R, Newell, B, Gordon, I et al 2015, 'Conservation parks are growing, so why are species still declining?', The Conversation.
  • Hill, R, Miller, C, Newell, B et al. 2015, 'Why biodiversity declines as protected areas increase: the effect of the power of governance regimes on sustainable landscapes', Sustainability Science, vol. 10, no. 2, pp. 357-369.
  • Dyball, R & Newell, B 2015, Understanding Human Ecology: A systems approach to sustainability, Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, Oxon.
  • Browne, C, Newell, B & Compston, P 2013, 'Developing understanding of the carbon cycle through play with physical analogues', 24th Annual Conference of the Australasian Association for Engineering Education, ed. Charles Lemckert, Graham Jenkins and Susan Lang-Lemckert, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia, Queensland, Australia, pp. 1-11.
  • Miller, C., and Newell, B., 2013, Framing integrated research to address a dynamically complex issue: The red headed cockchafer challenge, Agricultural Systems, 117, 13-18.
  • Zeigler, A.D., Gillen, J., Newell, B., Grundy-Warr, C., and Wasson, R.J., 2013, Comprehensive research in geography, Area, 45 (2), 252-254. doi: 10.1111/area.12021
  • Miller, C & Newell, B 2013, 'Framing integrated research to address a dynamically complex issue: The red headed cockchafer challenge', Agricultural Systems, vol. 117, pp. 13-18.
  • Newell, B 2012, 'Simple models, powerful ideas: Towards effective integrative practice', Global Environmental Change - Human and Policy Dimensions, vol. 22, no. 3, pp. 776-783.
  • Newell, B. and Proust, K. 2012. Introduction to Collaborative Conceptual Modelling. ANU Working Paper. https://digitalcollections.anu.edu.au/handle/1885/9386
  • Proust, K., Newell, B., Brown, H., Capon, A., Browne, C., Burton, A., Dixon, J., Mu, L., Zarafu, M. 2012 'Human Health and Climate Change: Leverage Points for Adaptation in Urban Environments'. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, vol. 9, no. 6, pp. 2134-2158. http://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/9/6/2134

  • Stasinopoulos, P., Compston, P., Newell, B. & Jones, H.M., 2012, 'A System Dynamics approach in LCA to account for temporal effects - a consequential energy LCI of car bodies-in-white', International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, vol. 17, pp. 199-207.
  • Newell, B, Marsh, D & Sharma, D 2011, 'Enhancing the Resilience of the Australian National Electricity Market: Taking a Systems Approach in Policy Development', Ecology and Society, vol. 16, no. 2, pp. A15-22.
  • Manning, A, Fischer, J, Felton, A et al. 2009, 'Landscape Fluidity - a unifying perspective for understanding and adapting to global change', Journal of Biogeography, vol. 36, pp. 193-199.
  • Newell, B., Proust, K., Dyball, R., McManus, P. 2007, 'Seeing obesity as a systems problem', NSW Public Health Bulletin, vol. 18, no. 11-12, pp. 214-218.
  • Fazey, I, Proust, K, Johnson, B et al. 2006, 'Eliciting the Implicit Knowledge and Perceptions of On-Ground Conservation Managers of the Macquarie Marshes', Ecology and Society, vol. 11, no. 1, p. 25.
  • Newell, B, Crumley, C, Hassan, N et al. 2005, 'A conceptual template for integrative human-environment research', Global Environmental Change - Human and Policy Dimensions, vol. 15, pp. 299-307.
  • Newell, B 2002, 'Social system vs solar system: why policy makers need history', International Water History Association Conference 2001, ed. S Castelein, A Otte, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Paris, pp. 3-18.
  • Proust, K., Newell, B., Brown, H., Capon, A., Browne, C., Burton, A., Dixon, J., Mu, L., and Zarafu, M., 2012, Human Health and Climate Change: Leverage Points for Adaptation in Urban Environments, Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 9 (#6), 2134-2158; doi: 10.3390/ijerph9062134
  • Stasinopoulos, P., Compston, P., Newell, B., and Jones, H.M., 2012, A system dynamics approach in LCA to account for temporal effects: A consequential energy LCI of car bodies-in-white, International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, 17, 199-207. DOI 10.1007/s11367-011-0344-0
  • Contributor to the ICSU ROAP Science Plan on Health and Wellbeing in the Changing Urban Environment: A Systems Approach, 2011. http://www.icsu.org/icsu-asia/publications/science-planning-reports/scie...
  • Newell, B., Marsh, D.M., Sharma. D., 2011, Enhancing the Resilience of the Australian National Electricity Market: Taking a Systems Approach in Policy Development. Ecology and Society 16(2): 15. URL: http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol16/iss2/art15/
  • Doolan, M, Newell, B & El Halabi, E 2009, 'Taking a Systems Approach to the Development of End-of-Life-Vehicle Policy', Cooperative Research Centre for Advanced Automotive Technology Conference 2009, ed. Matthew Cuthbertson, Cooperative Research Centre for Advanced Automotive Technology Ltd, Australia, pp. 1-8.
  • Manning, A.D., Fischer, J., Felton, A., Newell, B., Steffen, W., Lindenmayer, D.B., 2009, Landscape fluidity: a unifying perspective for understanding and adapting to global change, Journal of Biogeography, 35 (2), 193-199.
  • Newell, B. and Proust, K., 2009, I See How You Think: Using Influence Diagrams to Support Dialogue, ANU Centre for Dialogue. http://www.anu.edu.au/dialogue/2009/I%20See%20How%20You%20Think.pdf
  • El Halabi, E, Doolan, M & Newell, B 2008, 'A Global Comparison of End-of-Life Vehicles Policies', in A.Subic & J.Wellnitz (ed.), Meeting the Challenges to sustainable mobility, RMIT Publishing, Melbourne, p. 6.
  • Newell, B., Proust, K., Wiltshire, G., Newell, D., 2008. Taking a Systems Approach to Estuary Management. Presented at 17th NSW Coastal Conference, Wollongong. http://www.water.anu.edu.au/pdf/2009/publications/Newell_et_al_2008.pdf
  • Fischer, J, Manning, A, Steffen, W et al. 2007, 'Mind the sustainability gap', Trends in Ecology and Evolution, vol. 22, no. 12, pp. 621-624.
  • Newell, B., Proust, K., Dyball, R., McManus, P. 2007. Seeing Obesity as a Systems Problem. NSW Public Health Bulletin, 18(11-12): 214-218.
    http://www.publish.csiro.au/nid/226/issue/4094.htm
  • Proust, K., Dovers, S., Foran, B., Newell, B., Steffen, W., and Troy, P., 2007, Climate, Energy and Water: Accounting for the Links, Occasional Paper, (Canberra, Land & Water Australia). http://www.crdc.com.au/uploaded/File/E-Library/E-ENVIRO/Climate_Energy_a...
  • Fazey, I., Proust, K., Newell, B., Johnson, B., and Fazey, J.A., 2006, Eliciting the Implicit Knowledge and Perceptions of On-Ground Conservation Managers of the Macquarie Marshes, Ecology and Society, 11 (1): 25. URL http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol11/iss1/art25
  • Proust, K., and Newell, B., 2006, Catchment and Community: Towards a management focused dynamical study of the ACT water system, Final Report, Actew Project WF-30038. http://www.water.anu.edu.au/pdf/publications/Catchment%20and%20Community...
  • Newell, B., Crumley, C.L., Hassan, N., Lambin, E.F., Pahl-Wostl. C., Underdal, A., and Wasson, R., 2005, A conceptual template for integrative human-environment research, Global Environmental Change, 15, 299-307.
  • Newell, B. and Wasson, R., 2002, Social System vs Solar System: Why Policy Makers Need History, in Conflict and Cooperation Related to International Water Resources: Historical Perspectives, Edited S. Castelein and A. Otte, UNESCO Document SC.2002/WS/53 (Grenoble: UNESCO), p. 3-17.